AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft recently received patents from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for its two technologies concerning PCBs.

The first patent is on the method and system for connecting a plurality of PCBs to at least one frame or carrier element, and PCB and frame or carrier element. The second patented technology from the company relates to a method for monitoring the temperature-time-load of a PCB and/or at least one component on a PCB, using an irreversible color-changing time-temperature-indicator.

Details of the patents are below:

Publication No.: WO/2010/102315 was published on September 16, 2010.

"Method And System For Connecting A Plurality Of Printed Circuit Boards To At Least One Frame Or Carrier Element And Printed Circuit Board And Frame Or Carrier Element"

According to the abstract posted by the World Intellectual Property Organization: "In a method and a system for connecting a plurality of printed circuit boards (1) to at least one frame or carrier element (5), the following elements are provided: - a plurality of printed circuit boards (1), which are designed to have at least one coupling element (4) on at least one edge (2, 3), - at least one frame or carrier element (5) for coupling to a plurality of printed circuit boards (1) using coupling elements (6) that in each case complement at least one coupling element (4) of the printed circuit boards (1), wherein the printed circuit boards (1) can be coupled to the at least one frame or carrier element (5) by fitting the coupling elements (4, 6) of the printed circuit boards (1) and of the frame or carrier element (5), and wherein the at least one frame or carrier element (5) only surrounds or encloses the printed circuit boards (1) over a partial region of the circumference. In addition, a printed circuit board (1) and a frame or carrier element (5) for use in such a method and system are provided."

The patent was filed on March 5, 2010 under Application No. PCT/AT2010/000067.

"Method For Monitoring The Temperature-Time-Load Of At Least One Printed Circuit Board And/Or One Component On A Printed Circuit Board, And A Respective Temperature-Time-Indicator And Application Thereof."

According to the abstract posted by the World Intellectual Property Organization: "The invention relates to a method for monitoring the temperature-time-load of a printed circuit board and/or at least one component (3) on a printed circuit board (2) by way of an irreversible color-changing time-temperature-indicator (TTI) (6), wherein at least one TTI control element (6) is applied to the printed circuit board and/or the component (3) to be monitored, and wherein as TTI control element (6) TTI substances comprising organic or inorganic salts of transition metals having a molecular decomposition process and which are homogeneously dispersed in a polymer matrix having an activation within the respective relevant temperature range are used, and wherein said TTI substances (6) have an irreversible color change within the relevant temperature range which can be verified visually and/or mechanically and depending on the time period of operation within the relevant temperature range, and wherein the temperature load of a printed circuit board and/or one component (3) on a printed circuit board (2) can be monitored."

The patent was filed on February 25, 2010 under Application No. PCT/EP2010/001160.